Morehead-Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

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Date

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2/7/2012

Vote NO on HB 260 Contact Information

The time to act is now! Read the important information below and contact your legislator! Please urge all of your friends, family and colleagues to call as well. The message line for the General Assembly is 1-800-372-7191. Leave a message for ALL Legislators to vote no on HB 260.

A vote against UPike becoming a state institution is not a vote against educational opportunities in Eastern Kentucky, it is a vote against duplication of services.

Facts:

Higher Education has already sustained cuts of $100 million since 2007.

MSU alone has experienced a $5.2 million cut.

Almost 2,000 students attending MSU are from the proposed service area that could be taken away.

MSU has successfully served the counties of Breathitt, Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin and Pike counties for five generations.

This will have a negative economic impact for this region

An economic impact study shows that for every dollar ($1) that MSU brings in to our area, $6 goes out to the community!

Jobs could be lost at the university.

Services could be lost in our area/region

Questions:

Will the coal severance tax dollars always fund this institution?

How long are these coal counties willing to let that happen?

If not, as the money continues to be cut for higher education, so will the portion of funding for existing institutions.

If UPike cannot accommodate a larger number of students, where does the money come from for additional infrastructure for UPike?

These are some issues to think about regarding this proposed legislation. If you would like to contact any of the state legislators regarding this matter, call 1-800-372-7181 and leave a message for the legislators to share your opinion or visit click here to email the Legislators.

Sample Letter to send

Dear <Senator/Representative Last Name>,

As a concerned citizen and taxpayer, I am asking you NOT to support House Bill 260.

A vote against this bill is NOT a vote against education in Eastern Kentucky. It is a vote against duplication of services.

The proposal of adding a ninth public institution (the University of Pikeville) to the state system is a serious public policy issue that has been raised during an extremely difficult budget situation in the Commonwealth. Higher education has sustained cuts of $100 million since 2007 and Governor Beshear’s biennial budget calls for another 6.4% reduction. While continuing to shrink the pie, how can we cut it into more slices and expect positive results?

As a <resident/former resident/business owner> in the Morehead State area, I am deeply concerned about the impact that it will have not only on MSU but also the local and regional economies. An economic impact study shows that for every dollar ($1) that MSU brings into our area, six dollars ($6) is returned to the community. With nearly 17% of the fall enrollment coming from the counties the bill proposes to take from MSU and assign to the University of Pikeville, this would have a significant impact. Will jobs be lost at MSU? Will services be lost in our area/region? What impact might this have on our public school system?

House Bill 260 is NOT what’s best for Eastern Kentucky or the Commonwealth, particularly at this time.